Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons^™

Experimental Analysis Of Thermal - Hydraulic Enhancement In A Shell-And-U-Tube Heat Exchanger Using Copper Foam Baffles, Rawaa Hussein Al-Meammar

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Porous metal foams have emerged as a promising medium for thermal management due to their high surface area, low density, and excellent thermal conductivity. This study investigates the effect of copper porous foam baffles with different pore densities (5 and 10 PPI) on the thermal and hydraulic performance of a shell-and-U-tube water–water heat exchanger. An experimental setup was developed to evaluate the Nusselt number, heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop, and friction factor over a range of Reynolds numbers across the annular side. The results revealed that incorporating porous metal foam significantly enhanced heat transfer compared with the smooth-tube configuration. At …

Cfd Optimization Using Ansys Fluent For Advanced Thermal Energy Conversion, A Case Study On Heat Recovery Systems In Iraqi Power Plants, Basim Mohammed Abid Ali

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The energy sector in Iraq has lots of potential but the infrastructures are old and lack optimum thermal efficiency resulting in high consumption of fuel and environmental degradation. The study focuses on the urgent necessity of modernization of the thermal energy conversion systems in the industrial plants of Iraq by means of the further development of numerical simulation. The paper applies the Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) through ANSYS Fluent to model and optimize a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, which is similar to the ones employed in heat recovery units in Iraqi thermal power plants like the Al-Dora power plant in Baghdad. The …

Spatial Estimation For Gas Flaring And Natural Gas Waste From Oil Production Using Remote Sensing And Gis Techniques, Hisham M. Jawad Al Sharaa

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

This study aims to provide a comprehensive geospatial gas flaring intensity and emission doses analysis throughout oil production areas in Iraq based on remote sensing and GIS-based interpolation methods. Satellite image and spatial data were combined to create a map of flaring locations, refinery locations, and associated CO₂-equivalent emissions. The results show that there is a clear spatial variation in the intensity of the emissions ranging from northern regions towards the oil fields in the south near Basra, Rumaila and West Qurna, where refinery density and high flaring activities are observed. Interpolation modelling suggests that the majority of …

Ai-Enhanced Heat Transfer Optimization In Magnetic Bio-Nanofluids, Hasan Attyah Shaboot

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

This study presents a hybrid Artificial Intelligence–Computational Fluid Dynamics (AI-CFD) framework for optimizing heat transfer in magnetic bio-nanofluids subjected to external magnetic fields. Magnetic bio-nanofluids, composed of biocompatible base fluids containing superparamagnetic nanoparticles, exhibit tunable thermal and flow behavior, making them promising for biomedical and micro-cooling applications. Conventional optimization methods based on experiments or brute-force CFD are computationally expensive and limited in exploring the full design space. To overcome these challenges, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) surrogate model was developed to predict two key performance indicators, the Nusselt number and the friction factor, with high accuracy (R² > 0.997). The …

Adaptive Modulation Techniques To Enhance Ofdm System Performance, Alaa Aqeel Mohammed

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication is supposed to combine a broad coverage of services, including high-speed data, video streaming, multimedia applications and voice transmission, into a single scale. Adaptive OFDM (AOFDM) is among the most popular techniques proposed to meet this objective in which the settings of the transmission are dynamically optimized to the prevailing changing conditions of the channel fading. This paper is concerned with the adaptive modulation in OFDM. We find out the performance of un-coded adaptive modulation on the schemes of QAM and PSK. An effort to use convolutional coding is also integrated into the structure of …

Design And Development Of Solar-Powered Water Desalination Systems, Salam Ali Hassoon Alabooda

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Background: Freshwater scarcity and growing energy demand have promoted interest in sustainable desalination technologies, particularly in arid areas like Iraq which has high solar resource and decentralized water supply becomes a key factor. Aim: The purpose of this study was to design and test a solar powered water desalination system that could enhance fresh water productivity, thermal efficiency and quality of water under the climatic conditions of Iraq. Methodology: It was designed as hypothetical pilot-scale system that comprised of a single-slope solar still combined with a flat-plate solar collector, a 200 W photovoltaic-driven circulation pump and 18 kg of phase …

Comparative Adsorptive Performance Of Clinoptilolite, Purolite, And Mesoporous Carbon (Cmk-3) For Heavy Metals And Hydrocarbons Removal From Real Petrochemical Effluent, Eynas Muhamad Majeed, Nuha Muhsen Ali

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Petrochemical activities result in the generation of effluent that contain highly toxic heavy metals and oil products, which are very hazardous to the environment. The research tries to examine the adsorption capacity of three materials synthetic clinoptilolite, synthetic Purolite, and synthesized mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) in the removal of Ni²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, benzene, and toluene present in real refinery effluent obtained at Al-Dora Refinery in Iraq (Baghdad). The experiments were carried by batch adsorption that investigated the equilibrium behavior, kinetic performance, and the influence of ionic strength and organic co-contaminants. The heavy metal adsorption was …

The Impact Of Architectural Form On Seismic Performance Of Buildings, Durgham Munir Abdul Hadi, Abdullah Saadoon Salman, Lahib Ali Abdul Hussein

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Seismic overall performance of buildings is a important issue in each architectural and structural design, especially in regions exposed to seismic dangers. Despite giant improvements in structural engineering technologies, the function of architectural form stays insufficiently incorporated into layout practices geared toward improving seismic resistance. This look at investigates the effect of the formal dimension of architectural design on the seismic performance of buildings by analyzing key shape-related attributes, namely regularity, symmetry, simplicity, continuity, and slenderness. An analytical–descriptive method is followed, based totally on an extensive evaluation of applicable literature and the assessment of architectural configurations with regards to their …

Quality Of Life Indicators In Historic Urban Spaces: A Case Study Of Al-Mustansiriya Madrasa, Baghdad / Iraq, Israa H. Karam Ali, Shireen I. Khazaal

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Historic urban spaces play a central role in shaping social interaction, environmental comfort, and collective identity in cities with deep cultural heritage. Despite this importance, empirical assessments of their performance in terms of Quality of Life (QoL) from the perspective of contemporary users remain limited, particularly in the context of Baghdad. This study examines Quality of Life indicators within a historic urban space through a case study of Al-Mustansiriya Madrasa, one of Baghdad's most prominent historic educational complexes. A descriptive–analytical approach was adopted, integrating a structured questionnaire survey, systematic on-site observation, and spatial analysis based on Space Syntax techniques. The …

Interaction Design In Museum Architecture: A Contemporary Developmental Vision For The Iraqi Museum, Afaf Abdel Sahib Mohammed, Enas Salim Abdulahaad

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The Iraqi Museum's remaining architectural form and traditional display techniques do not allow for enough interaction between visitors and the items, despite the museum's great heritage and cultural value. This between visitors and the exhibits. Additionally, the museum does not include interactive technologies and contemporary architecture, which are now essential components of modern museums around the world.This invites the question of how to optimize the Iraqi Museum's visitor experience by applying the principles of interaction design in museum architecture within a contemporary developmental vision. In order to revive the architectural spaces within the Iraqi Museum, the research aims to generate …

Experimental Analysis Of Diesel Engine Combustion Chamber Performance Using Field Measurements At The State Company For Heavy Engineering Equipment, Mohammed Kanaan Sedeeq

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The current paper provides a detailed experiment and numerical study of the performance of the combustion chamber of a heavy-duty diesel engine in the common Iraqi industrial conditions at the State Company of Heavy Engineering Equipment (HEESCO). The main goal is to close the difference between what is specified by the manufacturers concerning the performance data, which is usually assumed to be under ideal conditions of the ISO standard, and the real efficiency of operation as witnessed in the field. The methodology is based on a hybrid approach that combines direct field measurements of in-cylinder pressure, temperature and fuel flow …

An Ai And Iot Framework For Dynamic Optimization And Sustainability In Smart Cities, Zeinab E. Ahmed, Rashid A. Saeed, Salah Hagahmoodi, Mamoon M. Saeed, Khalid Hamid, Sally D. Abugasim, Eyman F. A. Elsmany

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Smart cities are emerging as a critical solution for creating more efficient, sustainable, and comfortable urban environments. This transformation is primarily driven by the synergistic integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The IoT provides a pervasive network of connected sensors that collect real-time urban data, while AI serves as the analytical engine that processes this information to optimize city-wide systems. This paper presents a comprehensive framework that leverages this AI-IoT convergence for dynamic optimization to achieve long-term urban sustainability. The framework focuses on enabling intelligent, data-driven decision-making across core urban domains. The discussion and analysis …

Optimization Of Bearing Design In Centrifugal Pumps Using Finite Element And Experimental Methods: Application At South Refineries Company, Basra, Mohammed Hasab Naser Al-Mtasher

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

In the study, nonlinear vibration and thermo-mechanical characteristics of centrifugal pump bearings utilized in the cooling tower system of South Refineries Company (Basra) were properly examined using a combined experimental and numerical method. The intent of the study was to learn the impact of misalignment, the nature of the lubrication film, and thermal gradients on the stability of the operation of these bearings and their service life under realistic industry environment conditions. Finite element model (FEM) was constructed and tested on the basis of real field data obtained at the working pumps that allowed realistic distribution of stress and temperature. …

Rf-Derived Viscoelastic Modeling For Blood Clot Occlusion Sensing, Abdulrahman Mohammed Aldosari

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Early and reliable detection of vascular thrombus remains a critical challenge for portable and non-invasive diagnostic systems. This work presents an RF-based sensing methodology for blood clot occlusion sensing through the extraction of viscoelastic clot characteristics derived from microwave reflection coefficient (S₁₁) measurements. A compact single-port coaxial probe is employed to interrogate the vessel–tissue system over a wide frequency range (1–25 GHz), where the measured RF response is used to derive equivalent viscoelastic and electrical model parameters associated with clot formation and progression. Both lumped-element RLC and distributed transmission-line representations are utilized to establish the relationship between the measured dielectric …

A Portable Device To Elicit Sensory Trick And Monitor Forearm Muscle Activity In Pianists With Musician’S Dystonia, Josef Franczak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Musician’s Dystonia (MD) is a condition that can be acquired in professional musicians,causing involuntary contractions and the loss of fine motor control. The most common pharmaceutical treatment, botulinum toxin injections, has been shown to have side effects of muscle weakness and atrophy. The sensory trick, shown to temporarily relieve symptoms of dystonia, has potential to be used as an alternative or alongside current therapies, allowing patients with MD to return to playing music professionally. To systematically deploy the sensory trick and monitor forearm muscle activity, the first prototype of the Wearable Sensorimotor Integrator (wSMI) has been developed.

The wSMI is …

Optimizing Graphene Oxide In Self-Compacting Concrete: A Sustainable Nano-Material Strategy For Enhanced Durability And Structural Performance, Mohammed Shakeebulla Khan, Vijaya G. S

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

In order to reduce the environmental impact of the constructed world, advanced and sustainable construction materials are needed. This work is a summary of the comprehensive study on a novel self-compacting concrete with nano-engineered material (graphene oxide) modified self-compacting concrete (GO-SCC). The optimum dosage of GO was determined using Taguchi method, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) multi-objective statistical optimization method, and was found to be 0.10% by weight of cement (bwoc). This dosage of 0.10% GO led to the overall desirability score of 0.87, which confirmed that this was the optimum dosage for six response variables …

Sam-1: An Assistive Robot For Remote Patient Monitoring, Aana Farhana Ahsan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global aging population has increased the demand for caregiving, while the availability of caregivers has not grown at the same pace. These trends have contributed to disparities in consistent and accessible care for older adults and increased caregiver burden. Geriatric care robots have emerged as a promising solution to support older adults and reduce caregiver burden. Existing systems have been developed for a wide range of applications, including rehabilitation, social support, assistance with activities of daily living, therapy, and caregiver telepresence. This thesis presents the development of SAM-1, an assistive robot designed to support remote monitoring of older adults …

Force-Feedback And Load Sharing Mechanisms In Cardiac Myosin Ii Ensembles Revealed By Motor-Specific Perturbations, Omayma Alazzam, Md. Amzadul Hoque Chowdhury, Heath M. Stevens

Faculty and Student Publications

Myosin II motors within ensembles exhibit emergent force-generating behavior that varies based on ensemble size and makeup. However, the mechanisms by which myosins within ensembles sense and modulate behavior due to local and systemic changes in motor behavior, and concomitantly mechanics, remains unclear. To understand how myosin kinetics alter ensemble-level force generation, we employ myosin inotropes, specifically Mavacamten (MAVA) and Omecamtiv Mecarbil (OM), to pointedly alter myosin behavior in a concentration-dependent manner. MAVA has been shown to reduce the number of active myosin heads participating in crossbridge formation and force generation, while OM is recognized for prolonging motor attachment to …

Beneficial Investigation Of Sustainable Recycled Waste Plastic In Treating The Consolidation Behavior Of Fine Soil, Aram Mohammed Raheem, Cumaraswamy Vipulanandan, Mohammed Hiwa Abdullrahman, Ali Tariq Omer

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Recycled waste plastic is one of the regular garbage utilized as a sustainable material in soil remediation. This study examines the efficacy of utilizing local recycled waste plastic as an ecological quantifiable along with soil containing fine particles to analyze the consolidation behavior. Various recycled waste plastic contents ranging from 2% to 10% were employed experimentally in two patterns where in the first pattern the recycled waste plastic were mixed as dry material with the fine soil particles while in the second pattern a sandwich layer of 10% of the recycled waste plastic was placed in the middle of the …

Enhanced Thermal Energy Storage In Buildings: Impregnation, Leakage, And Environmental Performance Of Organic And Inorganic Pcm Composites, Gökhan Genç, Esra Yılmaz, M. Yusuf Yazıcı

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study experimentally investigates the impregnation and leakage performance of various organic (tobacco, sawdust, bay leaf, black cumin) and inorganic (vermiculite, perlite, bentonite, sepiolite) carrier materials used for phase change material (PCM) integration in building applications. The commercial paraffin-based PCM RT-31 was used as the thermal storage medium. Impregnation and leakage tests were conducted to evaluate the PCM absorption capacity, form stability, and energy storage potential of each carrier. The results revealed that perlite (C = 80%) and bay leaf (C = 78%) exhibited the highest impregnation capacities due to their porous and fibrous structures; however, they also demonstrated significant …

Modeling Of Tensile Stress-Strain Response For Steel Fiber Reinforced Self-Compacting Concretes, Anıl Niş, Nilufer Özyurt, Turan Özturan

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Main aim of the research was to further understand self-compacting concrete reinforced with steel fibers (SFR-SCC) behavior and to contribute modeling of the tensile stress-strain diagrams for the standardization of the fiber reinforced materials for structural utilization. Fiber reinforced materials has not been used without structural rebar because of the absence of stress-strain curve in tension required for the structural design codes. Hence, an inverse analysis (multi-layer model) was further modified for various steel fibers to predict tensile stress-strain behaviour. For this purpose, 5 different mixes; control, reinforced with long fibers with 0.5% and 1%, short fiber with 0.5% and …

Molecular Devolution For Gene Editing: Reverse Directed Evolution Of Cre Recombinase, Giovanna Esposito, Simran Sood, Katie Liu

Bioengineering Senior Theses

The principal objective of this paper is to provide a proof-of-concept of a novel protein engineering method called Molecular Devolution (MD). MD is an evolutionary protein engineering method that reduces the size of enzymes while retaining its functional properties. This paper outlines an MD protocol for Cre Recombinase. Cre Recombinase is an enzyme that is part of the Cre LoxP DNA Recombination System, which is a leading gene editing system widely used in genetic research. This paper outlines a MD approach that was used to miniaturize Cre Recombinase and remove unnecessary complexities, allowing for simpler and more e!cient use in …

A Point-Of-Care Hormone Monitoring Platform For Postpartum Health Assessment, Ava Mcdonald, Avary Torres, Frances Warneke

Bioengineering Senior Theses

Our point-of-care hormone monitoring device for postpartum health assessment uses paper-based microfluidics to provide an accessible and affordable hormone monitoring tool, tracking biomarkers correlated with postpartum depression (PPD). The device features a 3D-printed spring-box housing and platform containing chromatography paper testing sheets that are lined with polydimethulsiloxane (PDMS) and wax paper, embedded with specific reagents that generate colorimetric hormone readouts from saliva samples. This device was motivated by the need to address critical shortcomings in PPD care, where societal stigma surrounding mental health and reliance on self-reporting diagnostic methods prevent mothers from truthfully reporting symptoms and receiving timely support and …

Fluorescence Cryotomography For Preclinical Validation: Applications In Gene Therapy And Fluorescence-Guided Surgery, Caleb Y. J. Kwon

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Fluorescence imaging has become a powerful tool in biomedical research and clinical practice, offering molecular specificity and high sensitivity for visualizing biological processes in real time, However, the successful translation of novel fluorescent probes or medicines from preclinical development to clinical applications requires rigorous validation of their biodistribution and target specificity. Traditional methods for assessing performance, such as bulk excised organ analysis or two-dimensional histology, provide limited information as they cannot capture the complete, organism-wide distribution of these probes or medicines. This thesis aims to improve this analysis pipeline through the application and optimization of fluorescence cryotomography for quantitative, high-resolution …

A Computational Micropatterning Approach To Study Caveolae And Protein Localization In Vascular Biology, Andrew B. Grespin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Caveolae are specialized, flask-shaped membrane invaginations highly expressed in endothelium and dysregulated in atherosclerosis. Caveolae play a central role in buffering membrane tension, yet the principles governing their spatial organization remain elusive. Thus, we sought to generate the most comprehensive and systematic analysis of blood vessel caveolar spatial organization. However, cell culturing, the backbone of human-focused biological research, does not standardly do well to model physiologically relevant cell behaviors such as migration or polarity-based tissue formation, particularly for punctate proteins and structures like caveolae. Micropatterns are cell-adhesive shapes that biophysically confine cell(s) to a user defined geometry which stereotype organelle …

Oriented Electrospun Fibers Of Poly(Pro-Curcumin/Peg) Sequester Reactive Oxygen Species And Promote The Growth Of Schwann Cells, Jack W. Devlin, Payton R. O'Connor, Conrad H. Cheung, John T. Leman, Martin Oudega, Edmund F. Palermo, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the biological injury microenvironment, pathologically elevated oxidative stress hinders healthy cell migration. Aligned electrospun fibers are used as tissue engineering scaffolds to support and guide the directionality of cell migration. The ability of cells in the central nervous system to sequester and quench reactive oxygen species is limited, and most electrospun fibers do not exert any antioxidant activity on contact. Thus, the challenge remains in designing a scaffold that can both guide cells to the injury site as well as sequester and quench excess free radicals, allowing cells to thrive and potentially regenerate. Curcumin is a well-known, potent antioxidant, …

Enhancing The Performance Of Brain-Computer Interfaces Via A Spatially-Aware Framework, Ahmed Ayman Eloraby

Theses and Dissertations

Electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a non-invasive pathway for communication, with the P300 speller being one of the most established paradigms. Despite its practicality, EEG signals present inherent challenges, including low signal-to-noise ratio, high dimensionality, and limited spatial resolution. These characteristics complicate the extraction of discriminative spatial patterns, which are critical for accurate P300 detection and character-level decoding.

This thesis addresses these challenges through the development of AttenPCA-Net, a deep learning framework that integrates spatially-aware processing with dimensionality reduction. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is employed to reduce redundancy and noise while preserving the most informative components of the EEG …

Moisture-Induced Degradation And Mechanical Durability Of Mineral-Filled Polylactide (Pla) Composites, Barbara Szaraniec, Aleksandra Ptaszkowska, Alicja Rapacz-Kmita

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study investigates the influence of mineral fillers on the hydrolytic stability and mechanical durability of polylactide (PLA) composites under accelerated aqueous ageing conditions. Composites containing halloysite nanotubes (HNT) and bentonite-based fillers (BM, BS, BSP) at 2 wt.% were prepared using a powder-coating and injection moulding approach. Accelerated hydrolytic degradation was conducted at 50 °C for up to six weeks. The degradation behaviour was evaluated through mass variation, water absorption, incubation medium analysis (pH and electrical conductivity), mechanical testing, surface observations, and contact angle measurements. The results revealed a clear filler-dependent response. Bentonite-filled composites exhibited increased water absorption and accelerated …

Ai In Precision Medicine: Redefining Blindness Treatment Via Retinal Stem Cell Differentiation, Calissa Leong, Tiffany Nguyen

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Age Macular Degeneration (AMD) is currently the leading cause of blindness, driven by the degradation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) cells. Stem-cell based therapies, particularly those involving induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), typically consists of differentiating stem cells into RPE cells in vitro and transplanting them into the subretinal space. Our goal is to improve the accuracy of differentiation into RPE cells to better promote retinal regeneration. Traditional methods to alleviate symptoms of AMD is through therapeutic medications to slow disease progression, though stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising alternative. However, despite its potential, stem cell therapy presents …

Investigation Of Electrochemical Transport, Gate Leakage, And Transconductance Behavior In Pedot:Pss Organic Electrochemical Transistors, Vinay Bhudhraja, Bilal Khan, Abijeet Mehta

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) are promising candidates for low-voltage bioelectronic systems due to their high transconductance, mixed ionic–electronic transport, and compatibility with flexible substrates. In this work, we investigate the electrochemical transport, gate leakage, and transconductance behavior of screen-printed PEDOT:PSS OECTs, with emphasis on the relationship between ionic coupling and output characteristics. Key electrical and electrochemical parameters—including drain current modulation, transconductance evolution, gate current behavior, and capacitance–voltage response—were systematically analyzed to elucidate the mechanisms governing device operation. The results reveal clear trade-offs between parasitic resistance, volumetric electrochemical capacitance, and effective gate control, which in turn influence signal integrity and amplification …